If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Premature crystallized honey?

After extracting and filtering through 600 and 200 micron filters my honey was cloudy. I tried to refilter and the honey would not pass through the 200 micron filter. I heated it slightly with a double boiler and refiltered. Within a week it crystallized in my 5 gallon pail. I used the same process and equipment as last year but my honey from last year (1 bottle left) is still liquid. The only difference is I used a cap scratcher this year. Did I do something wrong?

Re: Premature crystallized honey?

You probably have thin honey. We have Raspberry honey that crystallizes if you don't extract it soon after you get it. Then in buckets a few weeks and it is solid again. I sell it as creamed honey since it gets so think and you can spread it like butter. If I get a pile in my filter I just feed it back to them they burn it up in the winter.

Re: Premature crystallized honey?

No cannola in my area that I know of. Nectar sources is an area I need to learn more about. Around here the last flowers I saw the bees in were garden flowers for squash, pumpkins and cucumbers about 1 month ago. I do think this year the honey was capped late fall just before I took it off the hive. Last year it was summer honey that I took off in fall. Thanks for the input.

Re: Premature crystallized honey?

Thank you for the input. I had not thought it might be related to nectar source. I know the honey is still good but it was easier for me to sell when it was nice and clear and liquid. I thought about selling it as spoon honey or cream honey but would need different containers with a wider mouth. Last year I used glass queenline jars. - Thanks again

Re: Premature crystallized honey?

Hob,

Crystallization is based on the Glucose to Fructose ratio in the nectar/honey. The more glucose present, the faster the honey will crystallize. I'm not sure what the 'ideal' ratio is, but I'm sure you could find it somewhere, not that you can control it much as it just depends on where your bees gather nectar and how much conversion goes on in the honey making process.

Re: Premature crystallized honey?

One season I had a batch of honey like this. I warmed up the bucket in my honey warmer, went to pour the jars, and within a week it was back to beginning the process of granulation. Two weeks and it was solid.

I tried to warm the honey in the jars, but again, back to granulation in short order. I had a number of questions from customers who wondered why it was granulating and I told them they had to eat it faster...most of them got that joke.

I was told, that if I heated the honey sufficient to dissolve ALL the sugar crystals, the honey might last longer, but if any microscopic crystals remain, the crystals kick-start the granulation process to commence all over again. But I don't like to over heat my honey, so I was in a fix. I pondered feeding it back to the bees.

Finally, I gave up and soaked off my labels, replacing them with a new label I created calling my honey "Spoon Honey--honey you eat with a spoon." Below this large-print title was smaller type that explained this honey was a special blend of granulated honey that will not run off your bread and conveniently spreads like butter. Customers bought it...and bought my honey, exclaiming, "Why, I've never heard of spoon honey."

Re: Premature crystallized honey?

You did nothing wrong. Some honeys crystalize sooner than others. I have noticed that many of my buckets of honey are crystalizing sooner this year than last year. My first thought was that I had not heated it enough during the extracting and bucketing process.

Re: Premature crystallized honey?

Originally Posted by Grant

Finally, I gave up and soaked off my labels, replacing them with a new label I created calling my honey "Spoon Honey--honey you eat with a spoon." Below this large-print title was smaller type that explained this honey was a special blend of granulated honey that will not run off your bread and conveniently spreads like butter. Customers bought it...and bought my honey, exclaiming, "Why, I've never heard of spoon honey."